(HELP!)How can I import Windows Media Player Playlists, into iTunes Playlists, with Music . . for an iPod

M3U playlist import seems to be broken in the current build, so I wrote a script called ImportM3U as a workaround. Enjoy...

tt2

YOU ARE THE MAN!

Thank you so much for this script. I had to rebuild my iTunes library and I almost got nuts importing my playlists which has been working fine on iTunes 10.3.

On my research I read about the broken import function somewhere, but I couldn't find a workaround that really imported *all* songs. Your script did the magic. Shame on Apple for this bad bug! Lost almost a complete day due to this problem :-(

Glad it helped...

Reading the OP's other recent thread on importing WMA it might not do quite what they want as yet. I haven't had a chance to test it properly but iTunes will likely ignore any WMA files in the playlist. I'll give some thought on how to extend the script to convert such tracks and then add them to the playlist.

tt2

Uploaded a new version of ImportM3U that can convert and add WMA files if needed. You should probably check that your import settings have a similar bit rate to the source files before starting. No point converting 128k WMA into 320k AAC as you won't feel the benefit. Likewise converting 256k WMA down to 128k MP3 might represent too much compression for your tastes.

tt2

Yes, as noted above the current build of iTunes (10.4.1.10) has a problem with the File > Library > Import Playlist... mechanism. This is why I wrote the ImportM3U script as a workaround.

To avoid creating duplicates you should make sure that Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library (Edit > Preferences > Advanced) is disabled until all your WMP playlists have been imported. Once the import is complete you may consolidate the library with iTunes' File > Library > Organise Library > Consolidate files command (which creates duplicates) or use my script ConsolidateByMoving.

tt2

I'm having problems transferring my songs over too. I have about 1600 songs saved in it's own folder and i've been trying "File" "Add folder to library" No success.

I'm not the most tech savvy person around, but how would I use the import script you made?

You just download the ImportM3U script to a folder of your choice, e.g. ...\iTunes\Scripts or, in the case of this one, wherever your playlists are stored, then drag & drop an m3u playlist onto the script to import it into your iTunes library.

Of course that is only of any use if you have existing playlists to import.

File > Add folder to library should be working normally as far as I'm aware. If it isn't working for you then I suspect some other problem is the cause. iTunes can't import protected WMA for example, or files which it can't access due to lack of security permissions. In such cases it often fails silently without producing an error so you have no clues as to what is, or rather isn't, going on...

tt2

iTunes 10.5 should be OK with WMP generated m3u playlists but for anyone still having problems with Winamp lists I've developed an alternative workaround to the problem for the script-averse:

• Install Notepad++
• Drag & drop or otherwise open the playlist with Notepad++
• Select Search... Replace... choose the extended search option and replace\n\ with \n<Media Drive Letter>:\ e.g. \nC:\ if your media is on C:
• Use the menu option Encoding > Convert to UTF-8 without BOM
• Save
• Import the playlist into iTunes

See this thread for the background...

tt2

Hi,

I wanted to import a playlist from Windows Media Player into iTunes but that is not working. I wanted to know how to download a script and how I put the playlist onto it.

I am new here 🙂

Thank you.

You need to export the playlists from Windows Media Player in .m3u format, then use one of the methods I've given above to import them to iTunes.

tt2

I have the file ImportM3U and I am dragging the .m3u file and it says open. But when I click open, it comes up with the error message " Drag an M3U file onto this script to add it to your iTunes library."

What am I doing wrong?

Sid

Instead of opening the script directly drop an M3U file onto its icon in Windows Explorer and the script will open knowing the path to the file you've just dropped. It will then ask you to confirm the import.

(It was easier than trying to build an XP-Vista-7-8 compatible browse for file section into the code.)

tt2

tt2,

Your very helpful and knowledgeable. I for one appreciate all the hardwork and help you have been giving the people on theses lists, especially with the problems associated with the "importing playlists" from windows media. Unfortunately I need more help if you or someone else can provide it. I followed all the steps you have instructed so far in the threads I have seen. Unfortunately nothing so far works for me. Maybe you or someone can help me, I'd really appreciate it. I tried the notepad++ method and when I click on save I always get a notepad file that my iTunes can't do anything with. I click the "convert to UTF-8 without BOM" then click save as and it still saves as a notepad file. I am also unable to find the \n\ file path to replace with my \C:\ filepath. Here is a copy of the first part of one of my playlists:

<?wpl version="1.0"?>

<smil>

<head>

<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Windows Media Player -- 12.0.7601.17514"/>

<meta name="ItemCount" content="161"/>

<author/>

<title>Power Surge</title>

</head>

<body>

<seq>

<media src="..\Various Artists\Mixed Tape 2\13 Out of Control.wma" tid="{650561AF-AA9D-4EA3-84CC-2F09C24DF3B3}"/>

<media src="..\Various Artists\Mixed Tape 1\12 One Step Closer.wma" tid="{EE5ADD9D-A879-404A-BC60-CE841045BCB6}"/>

<media src="..\Various Artists\Mixed Tape 1\15 Click Click Boom.wma" tid="{0F71941C-1B67-425F-BDAA-246618709179}"/>

Now I went and switched the part from <media src="..\ to <media src="C:\ in all the files in hopes that was where I am supposed to have my drive letter but it didn't seem to help. Please forgive my encoding ignorance if that's what my problem is. I hope you can help. Thanks in advance.

Madmaxneo

Hi there,

The existing media src values are using relative paths from the folder where the playlist is stored, presumably something like C:\Users\<User>\Music, where <User> is your username. You will need to replace the .. with the path up to whatever comes next so that the first item becomes something like <media src="C:\Users\<User>\Music\Various Artists\Mixed Tape 2\13 Out of Control.wma" tid="{650561AF-AA9D-4EA3-84CC-2F09C24DF3B3}"/>

Even then I don't think iTunes will make sense of the list since the tracks are in WMA format. Can you export the playlists from WMP in M3U format and then use my ImportM3U script?

tt2